Up at 6.15 and on parade. Received parcel of shortbread from New Zealand1. Off at night and had walk with Harvey.
ALL’s uncles, Charles Poulter Linfoot and his brother William Gaylard Linfoot, and their families, emigrated to New Zealand on 25 July 1912. The diaries record occasional correspondence with family in New Zealand, most frequently with Hilda Tate Linfoot, Daughter of Charles Poulter Linfoot and therefore ALL’s first cousin. Perhaps it was she who had sent the shortbread? ↩
Up at about 6.30 and on parade at 8 o’clock. Finished packing up the little hospital in the Salle de Reunion. Spent afternoon writing to Hilda Linfoot1 and to Charlie in reply to a letter just received. Glorious weather. Had walk at night and sat by the road-side and sang a few hymns through. Beautiful evening. Some of the men in the billet drunk and talked a lot of rot.
Hilda Linfoot: ALL’s cousin in New Zealand. See Hilda disambiguation page. ↩
Up about 6 o’clock and on parade at 8 o’clock. Off after dinner and commenced letter to Hilda Linfoot1. Had long walk at night with John Dory, Harvey and Holman. Received parcel from home and demolished it. Glorious day. Heard that we are going to move shortly and received orders to clear patients and prepare to pack. Lay awake until after 1 o’clock in the morning. The men had a glow-worm in the billet last thing. First one I have seen as far as I remember.
Hilda Linfoot: ALL’s cousin in New Zealand. See Hilda disambiguation page. ↩
Up at 5.30. Pulled down bivouac, had breakfast, cleaned up and paraded at 8.30 and marched off at 9 o’clock. Passed through Avize and arrived at Oger1 at about 11 o’clock. Spent afternoon in billet and had pleasant walk at night. Fine night though showery morning. Received letter from Ernie and from Hilda Linfoot2.
Avize (B) and Oger (C) are villages some 8km and 9km SE. from Pierry (A); Michelin 515, square O9. ↩
Hilda Linfoot: ALL’s cousin in New Zealand. See Hilda disambiguation page. ↩
On duty at night. Wrote long letter to Hilda Linfoot1. Two very bad cases in and we didn’t finish them until 9 o’clock. One man’s face was horribly smashed. Spent most of the day in bed but didn’t sleep at all. Very tired at night. Went on duty about 9 o’clock. Got the place ready, talked, and had dinner.
Hilda Tate Linfoot, ALL’s cousin. See Hilda disambiguation page. ↩
Up about 8 o’clock. No rations up so we had iron ration biscuits and bully for breakfast with a drink of tea without any sugar. Paraded at 10. I reported sick and was given duty. The American officer put a bandage on my ankle. Spent afternoon writing a letter home. We tried to improve our billet but the sergeants took it from us because two officers took theirs. Received letters from Gertie, Mother, Ernie and Hilda Linfoot1 in New Zealand. Got down to it about 8 o’clock. Had a look inside of a tank. Walked round inside gate† and was very much interested in it. Quite a lot2 where we are. A rumour that some of us are going to a place on duty.
Hilda Tate Linfoot, ALL’s cousin. See Hilda disambiguation page. ↩
“Quite a lot [of tanks]”: By this stage of the war in late 1917, tanks were deployed in large numbers – see also note on 22 November. ↩
[Pencil exceptionally faint on this page.]
Up at 5.30. Felt chilly sitting. Got everything cleaned up and had breakfast. Went to bed about 9 o’clock. Slept very well†. Up at 2 o’clock. Glorious day. Received letter from Hilda Linfoot in New Zealand1. Lay down out on the grass in the grounds and read. Harvey with me. Went on duty at 7.30. Massaged the legs of Lieutenant Radford, took temperatures of officers etcetera. Sat up until shortly after midnight. Didn’t go to bed. Simply sat in the chairs.
Up about 7 o’clock. Helped officers’ servants by washing up breakfast things. Wrote letters to Ernie and Charlie. Wet day again. Received letter from Hilda Linfoot1.
Hilda Linfoot: believed to be Hilda Tate Linfoot, ALL’s cousin, daughter of Charles Poulter Linfoot, who with his brother William Gaylard Linfoot and their families emigrated to New Zealand on 25 July 1912. Hilda had sent ALL a birthday card in January 1914 (Diary, 31 January 1914). Very little other communication is recorded until now, but the Diary mentions further letters in 1917 and 1918, and Hilda’s address in Auckland is noted in ALL’s 1917 Diary. Hilda was a younger sister of Lily Linfoot, who married Willie Marshall; see 10 June 1914. See also Family page and Hilda disambiguation page. ↩
[written above printed date - ] Posted letter to N.Z.1
Got supper at Mrs Wiseman’s with Ernie and Joe Mummery after the Watch service. Shook hands with several at church, Ernie first and Mr Chadwick next. Went to bed about 2 o’clock. Charlie got up at 7 o’clock. I walked through to Seaham2 and walked back in the afternoon. Took 1¼ hours to go there and 65 minutes to come back. Strong south easterly gale blowing and very wet. I was drenched. All family but Charlie at dinner and tea and supper together. Played a few games, ping pong, etcetera at night and went to go <sic; “bed” intended?> about mid-‐night. Charlie in shortly after 11 o’clock and had to start again at 8 o’clock in the morning. “Formidable”3 blown up with a loss of about 700 lives in the Channel.
The letter to N.Z. was probably sent to ALL’s cousin, Hilda Tate Linfoot. See Hilda disambiguation page. ↩
Seaham [Harbour]: small colliery town and sea-port 4 miles S. of Sunderland. ↩
HMS Formidable, built 1904, was a battleship stationed at Sheerness to guard against possible German invasion. On 31 December she was on gunnery practice off the Isle of Wight, and was hit during the night by two torpedoes from submarine U24. 547 officers and men were lost out of 780. ↩
Not much to do at work. Tom brought his gramophone over at night. I received 5/61 Christmas bonus. Charlie at work from 5.35 train until about midnight. Went to the Watch service2 with Ernie and Joe after finishing the letter to New Zealand. Mr Chadwick and Joe Speed spoke and Mr Mullens prayed. Pretty good service. I had walk round the town. Walked through Garrison Field with Joe.
THE END3